Author Topic: Probaly a dumb wind genny question  (Read 1903 times)

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whatsnext

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Probaly a dumb wind genny question
« on: August 18, 2004, 02:38:39 PM »
I spent an hour or two searching the site for something that I thought would be easy to find. What keeps the gen's output wires from twisting into a rope or wrapping around your mast as the wind changes direction?

Thanks, John.......
« Last Edit: August 18, 2004, 02:38:39 PM by (unknown) »

edy252

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Re: Probaly a dumb wind genny question
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2004, 03:17:28 PM »
the genny wont turning in full circles u know! just leave some extra wire at the top! :)
« Last Edit: August 18, 2004, 03:17:28 PM by edy252 »

whatsnext

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Re: Probaly a dumb wind genny question
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2004, 04:35:20 PM »
So you're saying that there is some sort of stop that prevents the genny from spinning 360 degrees?
« Last Edit: August 18, 2004, 04:35:20 PM by whatsnext »

Ungrounded Lightning Rod

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Re: Probaly a dumb wind genny question
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2004, 05:48:32 PM »
Whether the genny winds up the wire or just works back-and-forth but primarily stays in one direction depends on your local winds.


If you have prevailing winds it will tend to stay in one direction for months, yawing back-and-forth but only accumulating maybe a couple turns in several months.


If you have a lot of turbulence it may accumulate several turns in a month.  (This is one reason people try to site the mill upwind of obstructions like houses and trees, or on hilltops.  Another is that turbulence lowers the wind speed and mill performance.)


If you are in something like a valley near a mountain pass where you get a lot of air twist, or in some locations where the daily wind tends to go around in a circle, you might accumulate a turn per day.  (And if a dust-devil runs right over the tower it might crank it up several turns in few seconds before it moves on.  That might be a problem where I live.  B-)  But the windspeed near the vortex is probably more of a problem.)


Most of the people here just drop a cable down the center of the yaw bearing to the ground, leave a bit of slop in it, and let it wind up as it pleases.  Tens of feet of romex or the like can take quite a bit of twisting, since it's only a small amount per foot.  Every few months they go out and check it, and if it's accumulated some twist they untwist it - by lassoing the tail and walking around the tower on a calm day, or by having a plug in the end of the wire that they can temporary unhook (also on a calm day, since this unloads the prop).  If your mill does a lot of yawing back-and-forth and you're worried about fatigue in the wire, you can always replace it every few years when you have the mill down for bearing service or something.


I've seen one guy's mill that seems to have a slipring assembly.  But I wouldn't bother with that unless I was in a turbulent area and would be gone for months.

« Last Edit: August 18, 2004, 05:48:32 PM by Ungrounded Lightning Rod »

Ungrounded Lightning Rod

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Re: Probaly a dumb wind genny question
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2004, 05:51:06 PM »
You really don't want to use a stop.  It will prevent your furling system from working when the wind is from certain directions, which might cause your prop to throw a blade.
« Last Edit: August 18, 2004, 05:51:06 PM by Ungrounded Lightning Rod »

tecker

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Re: Probaly a dumb wind genny question
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2004, 07:54:30 PM »


   Brushes . I know this is not a savoy Idea with most but is at least an option.

« Last Edit: August 18, 2004, 07:54:30 PM by tecker »

Dan M

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Re: Probaly a dumb wind genny question
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2004, 06:51:50 AM »


Don't worry about it.


Unless the area you live in is a meteorological (sp?) anomoly the wind changes rarely make for a full 360 degree rotation.


I leave a rope attached to the tail running almost to the ground (this only works with free-standing towers).  This serves as an emergency brake when I need to turn it out of the wind by hand, and lets me untwist it every couple of months.


If you want to get an idea how often it will twist, make a simple weather vane and tie a loose piece of string from the boom to the base.  This should behave much the same as a genny.


-Dan M

« Last Edit: August 19, 2004, 06:51:50 AM by Dan M »

edy252

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Re: Probaly a dumb wind genny question
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2004, 11:32:06 AM »
no....but i mean:


think about it....when the genny furls.....it will go to an angle....and then come back to it's original position....it's very rare that wind will blow from opposite directions consequently so that the genny will have to turn in circles to align with the wind.....i hope i explained what i mean

« Last Edit: August 19, 2004, 11:32:06 AM by edy252 »

whatsnext

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Re: Probaly a dumb wind genny question
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2004, 02:00:04 PM »
Excellent idea. Simple and cheap. I'm a tad embarassed I didn't think of it before asking. Thanks to all who answered.

John............
« Last Edit: August 19, 2004, 02:00:04 PM by whatsnext »